Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Roanoke Girls by Amy Engel

4 reviews

rachel2887's review against another edition

adventurous dark sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual assault, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, Pedophilia, Death, and Mental illness

alliecat1915's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad tense

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pedophilia, Sexual content, Pregnancy, Death of parent, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Death, Grief, Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Cursing, Infidelity, and Miscarriage

Moderate: Suicide and Abortion

Minor: Abandonment and Child death

marjolainegenot's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

First of all, this novel is incredibly predictable - do not be surprised if you've figured out the main gist of the story a few pages into the book. Lane returns to live with her grandparents following the death of her mother only to find out disturbing secrets have plagued generations of young women in her family. With themes of depression, wealth inequality and Stockholm Syndrome, this book is quite disturbing. Whilst it isn't badly written itself and certainly isn't selling itself to be the next best American novel, the plot and some of the characters feel like stock characters and the lack of nuance cheapens the experience that Lane and the Roanoke girls navigate. Moreover, although the themes in the novel are quite serious (sexual abuse, incest, rape), there is a lack of finesse with how the topic is handled and the novel feels more sensational than emotional. Quite a page turner and reads a bit like an investigative mystery - can easily be read in one go!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Alcoholism

hannahlois's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad fast-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Alcoholism, Blood, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Infidelity, Mental illness, Miscarriage, Pedophilia, Suicide, and Toxic relationship